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murky

adjective

ˈmər-kē How to pronounce murky (audio)
Definition of murkynext
1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light I didn't like walking around the murky campground without a flashlight

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2
as in dark
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer the murky shadows of the cemetery

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3
as in hazy
filled with or dimmed by fine particles (as of dust or water) in suspension skies made murky from the smoke of forest fires that were many miles to the west

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4
as in ambiguous
having an often intentionally veiled or uncertain meaning a murky reply to a question about his intentions

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5
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly a gubernatorial candidate with a murky position on the hot-button issue of capital punishment

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of murky In these pieces, which are coated in a palette of bright reds, dusky purples, black, and burl, their provenance becomes even murkier. — Jill Singer, Curbed, 14 Sep. 2026 As this story went to press, the details of the interaction between Buckmaster, Alpöge, and OpenAI remain murky — different parties to the conversation are presenting different versions. — Konstantin Kakaes, Quanta Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026 When a data center’s energy use, environmental footprint, or safety record draws scrutiny, assigning responsibility may be surprisingly murky. — Petala Ironcloud, ArsTechnica, 7 Sep. 2026 Typically portable PCs under $500 have dire loadouts and murky monitors, but this one is a full 2K IPS touch display with good color and contrast. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for murky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for murky
  1. darkened
  2. dark
  3. hazy
  4. ambiguous
  5. vague
  6. bleak
  7. misty
  8. cryptic
Adjective
  • This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • She’s talked up her push to convert darkened streetlights, many of them stripped of their copper wire, to solar power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of darkened
Adjective
  • Beaches emptied out and dark clouds swirled above choppy seas, while Mexican authorities temporarily suspended classes in a number of areas on Tuesday.
    — DESIREE BROOKS, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Set against these dark parts of the educational system, Lee convincingly casts hagwons as third spaces that advance the hopes of an entire community.
    — Sanjena Sathian, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • That entails having reachable but firm and clear expectations that both students and teachers can strive towards, not hazy objectives.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Ride Lonesome is amorphous, hazy, dappled, and almost impossibly pretty.
    — Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of hazy
Adjective
  • The diabolical is ambiguous and often frankly sexy; the ridiculous is not.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Others require deep intelligence—analyzing complex financial information, generating code from ambiguous requirements or weighing competing factors.
    — Nitin Gupta, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of ambiguous
Adjective
  • The lawsuit demands a trial by jury and deems the decorum policy overly broad and vague.
    — Rachel Royster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The segment is naggingly vague with both of them showing love for Ye in spite of unlisted flaws.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • Tonally, the film is torn between wanting to be brutally bleak and offering some kind of hope for Murphy and his precocious, adorable daughter.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Max was born in 1937 in Berlin to German-Jewish parents who fled the city from the occupation of Nazis in 1938 to Shanghai, where the artist discovered bright colors, a stark contrast from his parents’ bleak past.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • At Emporio Armani, models walked the runway in gossamer-thin tanks and misty trousers that toed the line between lavender and blue.
    — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 22 June 2026
  • Base yourself in Cerro Verde or Lago de Coatepeque for crater views and misty mornings above the clouds, then climb Santa Ana Volcano.
    — Angelika Pokovba, Travel + Leisure, 26 May 2026
Definition of misty
Adjective
  • Seven months on, no one has been charged and, publicly at least, police seem no closer to solving what’s become one of Australia’s most cryptic missing-person cases.
    — Hilary Whiteman, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026
  • Also at the 2026 Emmys, Roach shared cryptic comments about the marital status of his longtime client Zendaya and her partner, Tom Holland.
    — Catherine Santino, PEOPLE, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of cryptic

Browse Nearby Words

murks
murky
murmur
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Cite this Entry

“Murky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/murky. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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